#1 Opening at the North American boxoffice with $ 47 million

If you ain’t first, you’re last…” — NASCAR racing legend Ricky Bobby. That’s what Will Ferrell did in his latest film Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby .

Will Ferrell drove into the # 1 spot at the North American boxoffice in Sony Pictures’ latest offering Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby during the weekend (August 4 – 6) on a massive $ 47 million. Playing across a massive 3,803 theatres the film averaged a fantastic $ 12,359 per location. This stellar performance makes it the second-biggest original comedy opening behind Bruce Almighty. This is the eight time that Sony Pictures has opened a film at the # 1 spot at the North American boxoffice.

The film is scheduled to release in India on December 1, 2006.

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby tells the story of a dreamer who can only count to #1. After winning and losing it all, Ricky Bobby must claw his way back to the top the only way he knows how — the hard way. Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly, Sacha Baron Cohen, Gary Cole and Michael Clarke Duncan star in the film which is directed by Adam McKay and written by Will Ferrell & Adam McKay.

About Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby :

Ricky Bobby (WILL FERRELL) has always dreamed of driving fast — real fast — like his father, Reese Bobby (GARY COLE), who left the family to pursue his racing dreams. Early on, Ricky’s mother, Lucy Bobby (JANE LYNCH) worried that her boy was also destined to end up as a professional daredevil on wheels.

Ricky Bobby first enters the racing arena as a “jackman” for slovenly driver Terry Cheveaux (ADAM McKAY) and accidentally gets his big break behind the wheel when Cheveaux makes an unscheduled pit stop during a race to gorge on a chicken sandwich. Ricky jumps into the car and … so begins the ballad of Ricky Bobby.

Ricky quickly becomes one of NASCAR’s top stars, supported by his pit boys — the impressively large crew chief Lucius Washington (MICHAEL CLARKE DUNCAN), a trio of lovably moronic but loyal crew members, Herschell (DAVID KOECHNER), Kyle (IAN ROBERTS) and Glenn (JACK McBRAYER), as well as racing partner and boyhood best friend, Cal Naughton, Jr. (JOHN C. REILLY). They are all part of the Dennit Racing team, headed by wealthy Dennit Senior (PAT HINGLE) and his petulant son, Dennit Junior (GREG GERMANN), whose jealousy of Ricky Bobby increases with every victory.

In a short time, Ricky Bobby is on top of the world. He has everything a championship NASCAR driver could ever want — a gorgeous wife, Carley (LESLIE BIBB), a lakeside mansion, two hell-raising sons, Walker (HOUSTON TUMLIN) and Texas Ranger (GRAYSON RUSSELL), huge sponsor endorsements and a string of victories from Daytona to Darlington.

Ricky Bobby’s “win at all costs” approach has made him a national hero. But as he quickly realizes, in racing, as in life, you have to watch out for the curves.

After a frightening crash sends Ricky Bobby to the hospital, he loses his nerve and falls on hard times. When his career and his wife are taken over by his friend Cal, Ricky Bobby turns his back on racing and takes his sons back to his small hometown to live with his mother.

But Ricky just isn’t cut out for the slow life away from the race track and soon hits rock bottom. His mother reluctantly turns to the only person she can think of to help her son — his estranged father Reese Bobby. His old man still has a few old racing tricks to help Ricky conquer his fear of driving.

Ricky Bobby will do anything to find a way back to the top, no matter how many speed bumps life throws his way.